Chapter 615: I Will End This War

“Junior Brother Hong, it seems you already have a plan. Which connection are you pursuing? This old Daoist is in charge of the Sect’s treasury, which has its uses. I only ask for a good piece of land to live out my years.”

The gaunt elder Daoist’s breath caught. His murky eyes drooped as he spoke in a low, soft voice.

“What plan could I have? That’s why I’m here to discuss it with you, Senior Brother Ke.”

The sarcoma on Elder Hong’s head was red and swollen. He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, woeful sigh.

“The Sect is collapsing, and the Sect Leader isn’t capable of turning the tide. We can only look for our own way out… Otherwise, we will all die at the hands of the Celestial Principle Sect. A thousand years from now, who will even remember the name of the Holy Lotus Sect?”

“You’re right, Junior Brother. Think of how incredible the Primordial Ancestor was, ruling over nearly half the Northern Domain. But his descendants were unworthy, and that great foundation has been weathered away. The name of the Primordial Sect has all but vanished.”

The gaunt elder Daoist sneered inwardly. ‘Someone has found a justification for his actions. I’m more than happy to play along.’

“That Elder Shi has been a True Monarch for ages, stuck at the Mid-Stage Nascent Soul Realm for many years. Their Saint Heir, Le Zheng, reached Core Formation Perfection a full 60-Year Cycle ago and could take the step toward Nascent Soul Formation at any moment. He hasn’t been seen in a long time; it’s possible he attempted his Tribulation Crossing in secret, but there’s no telling if he succeeded.”

“Protecting us and making the Celestial Principle Sect not dare to pursue the matter is not something an ordinary Nascent Soul Major Sect can do… And they can’t be too far away, or their reach won’t extend far enough to protect all of Qii Mountain.”

“Of the nearby Major Sects, the Ice Soul Palace keeps to its remote corner. They lack ambition and probably don’t have the guts to offend the Celestial Principle Sect.”

“The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect only just regained its footing after a great calamity, thanks to True Monarch Feng. They haven’t even finished consolidating their current territory.”

“The Qingfeng Sect has the strength, but our relationship with them is terrible because of what happened with Ancestor Jiulian. Besides, their two True Monarchs are away traveling and haven’t returned. Even if we could convince the sect, there’s no one there to help us.”

“The Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons are our sect’s sworn enemies, so there’s no need to even mention them… Then there’s the Tianhe Sword Sect, one of the most prominent Major Sects in Beiyuan. They are a Sword Cultivation Sect, so their combat strength is formidable. If we could build a connection with them, they could certainly keep us safe.”

The gaunt elder Daoist counted them off on his fingers, one by one.

“I have no connections to the Tianhe Sword Sect, but my late master knew True Monarch Ge Cang of the Qingfeng Sect back in the day, and Ge Cang owes him a favor… The way I see it, the Qingfeng Sect is a rising star. Even with two Nascent Soul True Monarchs, they must be short on manpower. If we go over to them, we’re sure to be given important positions.”

Elder Hong’s eyes were squeezed into thin slits by the fat on his face as he laid out his plan.

His highly experienced master had gotten to know Ge Cang over three hundred years ago, back when Ge Cang had only just reached Core Formation.

Sensing Ge Cang’s astonishing talent and his profound Thunder Skill, his master had specially recommended him, helping him obtain an invitation to the Lotus Secret Realm.

Later, he also acted as the middleman for a transaction with the Holy Lotus Sect.

Even after the two sects’ relations soured and True Monarch Jiulian passed away, the two of them never completely broke off their friendship.

Ge Cang had even sent an invitation for his Nascent Soul Ceremony.

But with relations between the two sects being what they were, Elder Hong’s master naturally didn’t dare to attend.

Because of this connection, the scales in Elder Hong’s heart were definitely tilted toward the Qingfeng Sect.

The Qingfeng Sect had always had a good reputation. Even back when it was just a Core Formation Level Sect, it was universally praised throughout Liang Country.

It prided itself on being an orthodox Daoist Sect and acted with integrity. In the past, some people even mocked them for being old-fashioned and inflexible.

Now, of course, those same qualities were cause for praise.

People said the Qingfeng Sect was truly worthy of being called an orthodox Daoist Sect with an orderly heritage. Even in its decline, it was fundamentally different from the other sects, possessing much of the character of the Ancient Cultivators of old.

As a Core Formation True Man, Elder Hong naturally didn’t share the same view as low-level Cultivators.

But compared to other sects, the Qingfeng Sect did indeed have more principles. The chances of getting cheated or betrayed after the fact were much lower when dealing with them.

A figure like True Monarch Ge Cang was aiming to ascend the Great Dao and break through to Divinity Transformation. An opportunity to resolve past karma and repay a favor would be welcome. He certainly wouldn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand if it was convenient.

“But the Qingfeng Sect’s two True Monarchs aren’t in Liang Country. Distant water can’t put out a nearby fire. What can we do?”

The gaunt elder Daoist sneered inwardly but put on a look of great interest.

He knew that Elder Hong’s master had been widely connected, having once served as the Holy Lotus Sect’s Foreign Affairs Elder with friends all over the world.

But he hadn’t expected him to have a connection with True Monarch Ge Cang from before he had even made his name.

‘But that favor only extends to one person. The Qingfeng Sect’s True Monarch owes a debt to Elder Hong’s master, not *my* master.’

‘For me, then, taking refuge with the Qingfeng Sect is no different from any other Nascent Soul Sect.’

“The information we have is years old. Who knows if the two True Monarchs have returned recently? Besides, plans are just plans. It will take some time before we can actually make our move. If these disciples weren’t completely disappointed in the Holy Lotus Sect and in Qu Yang, they might not be willing to follow us at all.”

Elder Hong was growing impatient. He wasn’t considered old among Core Formation True Men; he was in his prime and still had the potential to advance his Cultivation.

If he lost the Sect’s protection, even if he managed to survive after Qii Mountain was breached, it would be incredibly difficult to cultivate to the next Realm on his own.

The Spirit Lands required for Cultivation, various Cultivation Resources, and Realm-Breaking Spiritual Pills—all of these are far too difficult for a Loose Cultivator to obtain.

To secure all of that single-handedly would be impossible, unless you possessed heaven-defying fortune and unparalleled combat strength.

If he could ride the coattails of the Qingfeng Sect, the difficulty of obtaining those things would be much, much lower.

But he didn’t want to stake his future on this ethereal favor from a predecessor. If he couldn’t demonstrate his own value, he would likely end up as nothing more than an idle guest at the Qingfeng Sect, with no real power.

If he wanted a Nascent Soul True Monarch to see him in a different light, he had to prove his worth.

Winning over more of his fellow Holy Lotus Sect members and offering the treasury to the Qingfeng Sect when the time came—that was exactly what Elder Hong planned to do.